Morning journal and courier., 1887-11-14
ABOUT THE ANARCHISTS.

English Hall Last NIght-Opposed 70
Capital Pun1shment-He Does Not
Believe That the Anarchists should
Have Been Hanged-Thfnks the
Anarchists Have Adopted the wrong
Policy, However.
Rev, John Collins made short address
to a good sized congregation at English Hall
last night In the congregation were quite
number of Socialists. Mr.. Collins spoke
about the Anarchists and expressed his views
concerning the question which is engrossing
the attention of the public at present.
fought Anarchists to be hangeda
'fNo; certainly not.
"Ought murderers to be hanged?
''That is quite another question, and the
answers will be as numerous as the opinions
of men on the subject of capital punishment.
The taking of mans life by society looks to
me the more consider it like barbarism.
Society did not give life and 1 cannot quite
believe it has the right to take it. True, the
one whose life is taken has deprived his fell
low man of life, but a second wrong does not
make the first wrong right. The murderer
might forfeit his right to life, and in prison
the prolonging of his existence might be
made productive of good to society through
skilful and wise officials. Then too the
courts, the organized representatives of soci-
ETY., are human and liable and often do err
and in depriving the innocent of life do the
most terrible wrong to the one for whose
protection they exist. Imprisonment, II
would seem to me, while it would leave room
for correcting human error and giving the
innocent man back at least portion OF his
years with some recompense for those OF
which he has been unjustly deprived, would
give ample opportunity in the varieties OF
employments, and in the places and manner
of confinement, for melting out degrees OF
punishment in keeping with the degree OF
crime. Somehow my soul shr1nks with nor
ror from the thought of slowly, deliberately
and dispassionately consenting for any rea-
son to the taking of the life of a human be-
ing. It would have been well if organized
society had never taken another life after
the awful horror of Calvary, at once the
most striking evidence in history that the
many are as given as the one to the madness
of selfish prejudice and passion, and that hui
man courts, even in their highest and heav-
en- appointed form, may become instruments
to do gigantic wrong, and that
though they take to themselves
the attributes of omniscience and omnipo'
tence the prerogatives of the almighty giver
OF life, they are subject to that blindness ofpas-
sion and fanatical hatred which deprives com
munities and tribunals well as individuals
of all power to reason or recognize the truth
clamoring at their ears and may deny self
evident truth, and, in judging the innocent
guilty, do to the individual the most terrible
of all harm, become guilty themselves of the
very crime the punishment for which they
have inflicted upon another. Truly 1t might
be well if the door were shut to such terrible
possibilities, and to the sure and just judg-
ments of the only all-wise law giver and
ruler, the avepger of the innocent before
whose Judgment seat we must all one day
stand. Verify as the world comes out more
and more into the sunlight of the gospel of
him who gave his life as its ransom, as it
surely will, society as we'll as individuals
with true wisdom will draw back from blood
shedding.
sOught the Chicago Anarchists to have
been hanged That is still another question.
Society exists as an imperfect organization.
Every intelligent man is well aware of the
main provisions of the laws which govern
this country. 1t is a dangerous thing for a
child to play with fire. Free speech is we'll
and ought to be jealously guarded. 1t is the
safeguard of our free institutions. But my
advocacy of a short cut by force to carrying
out my views Of what ought to be, or my
attempts to deprive my fellow men of their
rights that I may impose upon them what L
think to be right, or the efforts one or few
by public agitation to bring about state of
things by which the few will be able to force
medicine which they think to be good down
the throats of the multitude who utterly deny
its virtues and will have none of it,
this is not free speech. 1t is a
dangerous as we'll as an unwise thing. Free
speech is something it would indeed be glo-
rious to give ones life for. Now, I do not
presume to say that l know whether these
Chicago men were guilty of murder. The
courts said they were, but courts as l have
already intimated are not infallible. But IN
doubtedly they took the sword into their own
hands, and in SO doing they ran the risk of
their lives. Perhaps they were willing to do
this. / think they were dreamers and dan
gerous men. Perhaps they thought that we,
who represent another order of things, are
dreamers and not only dangerous men but
opposers of human progress and oppressors
of mankind. 1t Is my right to hold to my
views and would freely and gladly give to
any other man any right which l myself
possess. That these men were common
murderers and criminals 1 do not
for moment believe. That they were brave,
sincere and honest in their views and their
expression of them they have given undoubt-
ed evidence They took the sword and they
persisted by the sword, and while have not
particle of sympathy with their views SO
far as understand them or their manner of
enforcing them, I say plainly that l greatly
admire the brave way in which they gave up
their lives and sealed with their blood their
belief in their teaching. I wish to say, as
emphatically as possible, to every social re-
former within reach of my words, that do
not believe that force in any form can, I'M
der any circumstances, succeed in this coun-
try. Here we are equals politically. I have
as much to say as you, and you have as much
to say as I, and I would not,
under any circumstances, have it
otherwise If you have different
views than 1 which you think are better than
mine as to matters which concern the welfare
of society to which we both belong, tell me
about them. 1 am willing to hear what you
have to say. Convince me of their truth,
but do not try to crowd them down my
throat. If you do the natural result is that
force meets force. If there are more that
hold to your views il any community than
hold to mine the only possible way in which
we can get along together is for me to yield
to you. If do not like that I can move
away into the company of those who hold
my views and where the order of things is
arranged in accordance with my ideas.
''Now do not profess to know what an
archy is as it is taught by those who believe
in it, and think there are quite a number
of things that am ignorant of in the teach
thing, then let US have it. If socialism is
George land tax scheme is the best thing, let
us have it. If the present order of governs
ment is the best thing, as most of US believe,
let US hold on TO it. If we can improve it,
let US talk about it, think it over, and in
wise and judicious ways, as good citizens aud
lovers of mankind, let US make improve
ments, and may God bless our country, and
may the right triumph"
THE COMING REPORT